Kawasaki® Powersports Dealer in Lynchburg, VA
With more victories in supercross and pro motocross than all the other OEMs combined, it's no wonder that so many people trust Kawasaki to build premier powersports vehicles. Come to our dealership in Lynchburg, VA near Roanoke for our full Kawasaki inventory today!
Kawasaki® Throughout The Years
For over fifty years now, one of the leading names in the powersports game has been Kawasaki. This Japanese manufacturer has built everything from aircraft parts to powersports vehicles under their Heavy Industries division. Virgil Naff’s is in Lynchburg, Virginia, and we carry Kawasaki products in our showroom because they’ve stood the test of time.
History In The United States
Kawasaki Heavy Industries has its roots in a 19th century shipping company that then expanded to produce a number of different modes of transport along with the engines necessary to power them.
Back in the 1960s, the brand came across the Pacific Ocean to establish itself in an old Chicago meat warehouse as the American Kawasaki Motorcycle Corporation. This let the Japanese builder stake a claim on the American market, gaining a new customer base.
The businessmen who started this new corporation had little more than their factory-supplied parts and a dream to succeed when they began. They produced two-stroke motorcycles, under the Omega model name, as their inaugural product. Because American riders longed for powerful, hefty bikes that packed a punch, Kawasaki then built the tougher Samurai and Avenger models to sate demand.
Back in the 1960s, the brand came across the Pacific Ocean to establish itself in an old Chicago meat warehouse as the American Kawasaki Motorcycle Corporation. This let the Japanese builder stake a claim on the American market, gaining a new customer base.
The businessmen who started this new corporation had little more than their factory-supplied parts and a dream to succeed when they began. They produced two-stroke motorcycles, under the Omega model name, as their inaugural product. Because American riders longed for powerful, hefty bikes that packed a punch, Kawasaki then built the tougher Samurai and Avenger models to sate demand.
Industry Pioneers
The Mach III rolled off assembly lines in 1969, making this company a reliable name in the field of superbikes. In 1973, the Z1 followed, further elevating the Kawasaki brand in the motorcycle industry. The elegant frame of the Z1 housed the most powerful four-stroke engine built at the time. Other successes along these lines let the American division build a tight distribution network to better serve dealers and customers.
Other Powersports Vehicles
Motorcycles aren’t the only big machines to roll off Kawasaki assembly lines. The company dipped its toes in the personal watercraft market as early as 1973, becoming a frontrunner in marine leisure craft. Their initial all-terrain vehicle (ATV) was released in 1981 as a three-wheeler, soon supplanted by the more stable and much safer four-wheeler they developed and released in 1985.
This giant in the powersports industry didn’t get where it is today by standing still. They’ve been innovating and updating their designs constantly to exceed customer expectations at every turn. That’s why Kawasaki is a household name both in the United States, in its native Japan and internationally. Their vehicles are a testament to their reliably high manufacturing standards.
Come by our Lynchburg location to see our selection of new and used powersports vehicles, including Kawasaki models. Virgil Naff’s proudly serves the cities of Roanoke and Charlottesville, Virginia, along with Beckley, West Virginia.